The present invention relates to a fishing reel of the multiplier type.
Known fishing reels of this type generally have a frame with two side plates, a line spool shaft extending through the frame, and a rotatable line spool mounted on the line spool shaft. A mounting plate arranged on the frame inwardly of one side plate thereof has a spindle parallel to the line spool shaft and extending through said one side plate, and a center hole through which the line spool shaft extends. A handle is mounted on the spindle outside said one side plate. A driving gear and a toothed wheel are mounted on the spindle and adapted to be rotated by means of the handle. A clutch means is mounted on the line spool shaft in the center hole of the mounting plate and has a gear portion meshing with the driving gear to be rotated thereby. The clutch means is displaceable along the line spool shaft between an engaging position, in which it engages the line spool for rotation thereof, and a disengaging position, in which it is disengaged from the line spool. A clutch mechanism operable by means of a manually adjustable trigger is mounted on the mounting plate for shifting the clutch means between its two positions.
When a cast is to be made, the trigger is actuated for shifting the clutch means to its disengaging position. When the clutch means is in its disengaging position, the line spool can rotate freely. The clutch mechanism is so designed that it will return the clutch means to its engaging position when the angler starts turning the handle in the direction of line retrieve, i.e. the direction in which the part of a line, fixed to the line spool, that has been paid out during the cast is again wound onto the spool.
In some prior-art fishing reels (see e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,564,158 and 5,158,245), the fishing reel has, in addition to the trigger, a further manually adjustable means. This can be set in two different positions. When it is in one position, the trigger and the clutch mechanism operate as described above. However, when it is in the other position, it acts on the clutch mechanism so as to return the clutch means to its engaging position as soon as the trigger is released. The clutch means can then be returned more quickly than if the return movement is carried out by means of the handle. Such a faster return movement is desirable in a special fishing technique.
In some other prior-art fishing reels, the clutch mechanism is designed such that the clutch means is displaceable not only to its disengaging position, but also to its engaging position by means of a trigger and only by means thereof, which implies that first the trigger must be actuated for shifting the clutch means to its engaging position, before the line spool can be rotated by means of the handle. In this type of fishing reel, the clutch means can also be returned more quickly to its engaging position than if the return movement is carried out by means of the handle.